HOU Image Processing

SalsaJ: Image Processing Software for HOU

Runs on PCs and Macs

HOU high school and middle school curricula both rely on students being able to get real observatory telescope images and then analyze those images with image processing software. SalsaJ software is similar to software used by professional astronomers, but with an interface custom-designed for use by middle school or high school students.

Salsa J software - A multiplatform, multilingual program that allows students to display, analyze, and explore real astronomical images and other data. Download Salsa J from the Global HOU sofware page.

The latest telescope image sets are available at http://globalsystemsscience.org/software/download, including FITS images for A Changing Cosmos, Solar System Science, and more.

The HOU materials are now part of the Global Systems Science (GSS) project.

Hands-On Universe Image Processing Software (HOU-IP 2.0), formerly used with A Changing Cosmos and Solar System Science, is not longer supported by the US-HOU project.

You can still download a free trial edition of HOU-IP 2.0 (fully functional for 30 days). See the order page to find out how to purchase Licenses for for HOU IP 2.0, to make the trial version permanent.

You can still learn more about the features of HOU-IP 2.0 and obtain technical support on this site.

FAQ for HOU-IP 2.0

About HOU-IP

The most recent version of the HOU image processing and data analysis software (HOU-IP) runs under Windows95 or later. Old versions of HOU-IP will run under Win3.1 on a 486 or later or a Macintosh II series or later. The software is provided to all teachers that go to the HOU professional development workshops and may be used on all computers used in their HOU classes.

Image processing tools include: log scaling, min/max adjustment, resizing, a variety of color palettes, and image manipulation such as rotation, flip, shift, and arithmetic functions (add, subtract, multiply and divide). For data analysis, counts are displayed for each pixel and slice plots and histograms show brightness distributions. Photometry routines calculate full width half max and sky-subtracted brightness.

The software may be purchased with middle school or high school curriculum materials. Please see HOU price list for latest price and how to purchase.